Q: Sociologists argue for democratization of science and technology for inclusive development. Comment.

Model Answer:

Sociologically, the democratization of science and technology (S&T) signifies a shift from Technocratic Determinism to the Social Shaping of Technology. Guided by Robert Merton’s norms of Universalism and Communalism, it counters historical S&T monopolies by the Global North that fostered dependency, making knowledge a participatory tool for inclusive development.

Sociological Imperatives for Democratizing S&T

• Challenging Instrumental Rationality: Jórgen Habermas argues modern society suffers from “Technocratic Consciousness,” where socio-political issues are reduced to technical problems solvable only by elites. Democratization restores the public sphere in developmental debates.
• Navigating Manufactured Risks: In Risk Society, Ulrich Beck asserts that modern S&T generates universal hazards (e.g., climate change, nuclear energy). Because the public bears these risks, participatory S&T governance is an absolute necessity.
• Promoting Cognitive Justice: Shiv Visvanathan’s concept of “Cognitive Justice” defends epistemological diversity. It challenges Western scientific hegemony by validating indigenous knowledge, complementing Vandana Shiva’s critique of reductionist science in capitalist agriculture (e.g., seed monopolies).
• Overcoming Digital Stratification: Manuel Castells notes that unequal access to S&T breeds structural exclusion. Democratization is vital to prevent marginalized groups from falling into permanent Digital Stratification.

Barriers to True Democratization

• Dependency and Monopolies: Drawing on Immanuel Wallerstein, conflict theorists argue Core nations utilize Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) to restrict S&T transfer, perpetuating global dependency (e.g., Covid-19 vaccine apartheid).
• Data Exploitation: Shoshana Zuboff in The Age of Surveillance Capitalism warns that superficially democratized tech (smartphones) is weaponized by corporations for data extraction, undermining true inclusivity.

The Open Source Software movement exemplifies Mertonian Communalism. Conversely, without inclusive democratic oversight, Artificial Intelligence perpetuates structural Algorithmic Bias, critically framed by Ruha Benjamin as “The New Jim Code.”

Conclusion

S&T is socially embedded, not a developmental magic bullet. Viewed through Bruno Latour’s Actor-Network Theory (ANT), achieving inclusive development requires aligning human actors and non-human technologies within a participatory framework to create Socially Appropriate Technology.